Burglar-alarm box.



No. 880,981. PATENTED MAR. 3, 1908. A. LO FARO.

BURGLAR ALARM BOX.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, 1907.

21 19 2a 22 INVENTOH Jd0lj7filofira ATTORNEYS W/TNESSE E ERS 0a.. wnsumm'uu, n. c.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEroE.

ADOLPH LO FARO, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BURGLAR-ALARM BOX.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADoLPH Lo FARO, a subject of the King of Italy, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Burglar-Alarm Boxes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention has reference to improvements in burglar alarm boxes, having for an object primarily to automatically and continuously sound an alarm should the box be picked up and attempted to be carried away by an unauthorized party. A box of this character is particularly desirable as a safety deposit means for valuables at theaters and other public places, for which the invention is more especially intended.

One embodiment of the invention consists of a box having an alarm mechanism therein, and a device which is adapted to release the alarm and be projected through the bottom of the box when the box is lifted; said device, when pushed within the box, passing into the path of a working part of the alarm and preventing its further opera tion. In connection with this part of the construction is provided means operable from the interior of the box to automatically lock said device when projected, whereby it will be impossible to stop the alarm until the box is unlocked and the alarm cut off by one familiar with the operation.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a plan of the box with the lid removed, partly in section and partly broken away in order to disclose the construction of the alarm mechanism; Fig. 2 is a cross section substantially on the line 2-*2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal section through the alarm compartment of the box on the line 33 of F ig. 1, showing the relative arrangement of the parts when the alarm is set; and Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 3, showing the position assumed by the parts when the alarm is released.

More specifically stated, the invention in its preferred construction includes a box 10 having an upper and lower compartment 11 and 12, respectively, and a lid 13 which may be fastened when closed by a lock 14 of any approved construction.

Within the compartment 12 the alarm Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 12, 1907.

Patented March 3, 1908.

Serial No. 378,490.

mechanism is located, the same consisting of a bell 15 supported in proximity to a striker 16, the latter being actuated by any suitable mechanism, that shown being of ordinary alarm clock construction, consisting of a frame 1.7 which supports a spiral spring 18 and the bearings for the train of gears and escapement wheel imparting motion directly to the striker 16. An opening 19 is formed in the bottom of the box in alinement with a winding stem 20 for the insertion of the key in winding the spring 18.

Attached at one end to some fixed point of the box, as for example to the under face of the frame 17, is a flat spring 21 carrying at its free end, adjacent to the bell 15, a projection 22, adapted to pass through an opening or slot 23 formed in the bottom of the box and constructed with a notch 24 in one edge providing a shoulder which is adapted to be engaged by the inner end of a lever 25, the opposite and outer end of said lever, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, slightly protruding through an opening at the rear of the box. The spring 21 also carries a finger or projection 26, which passes into the path of the arm of the striker 16 when the projection 22 is forced against the tension of the spring 21, into the box, the said finger when thus disposed operating to prevent movement of the striker, and may be locked in this position by engaging the lever 25 with the notch 24.

It is apparent from the construction thus far described, that when the lever 25 is released from the notch 24 of the projection 22 and the box seated on its face, the weight of the box will keep the projection pressed upwardly and retain the finger 26 in the path of the striker arm; however, should the box be bodily lifted, the projection will be forced through the bottom thereof and the finger withdrawn from the striker arm, acting to automatically set the alarm in action, which will continue for a reasonable period until the projection 22 is again forced to the interior of the box. For automatically locking this projection when the alarm is set off, in order that it will continuously ring until the box is opened and the alarm stopped by one familiar with the operation, I provide in connection with the construction just described, a spring arm 27, one end of which is rigidly fixed to the bottom of the box, and its opposite and free end passed underneath a clip 27 the portion of said arm between its fixed end and the clip, when the arm is released and the projection 22 forced outwardly, passing in the path of the shoulder 28 formed in the edge of said projection.

For retracting the spring from the projec; tion, an operating lever 29, in the upper compartment 11 of the box, is provided with an arm 30 in engagement with the free end of the spring arm 27, and is connected thereto through the intermediary of a stem passed through the wall of the box.

In order that the lever 25 may be prevented from engaging the notch in the projection when the projection is pushed. inwardly, and thus shut off the alarm, I provide a push-bar 30" which is also operable by the handle 81 from the interior of the box, the lower end of said push-bar when depressed entering a recess 32 in the bottom of the box and projecting into the path of the lever, whereby the latter cannot be drawn sufliciently to engage its inner end with the notch in the aforesaid projection.

In the operation of the invention it is firmly seated where it is desired that the box, which is to contain the valuables is to be located. The lever 25 is then disengaged from the projection 22 and the same is locked from against further engagement therewith by depressing the push-bar 30. The box is at this time ready for the reception of the valuables. Should any one attempt to steal or bodily remove the box in this condition, as it is lifted the alarm will be automatically set off as the projection is forced through the bottom of the box, and the spring-arm 27 will at the same time pass over the shoulder 28 and prevent the projection 22 from being pushed inwardly and thus stop the alarm until the'box is opened and the lever 29 operated.

The invention as shown and described although being the preferred practical form of my improved burglar alarm box may obviously be extensively modified within the scope of the annexed claims.

Having thus described. my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A device of the character described, a box, divided into an upper and a lower compartment, an alarm arranged in the lower compartment, means for holding the alarm in inaction, a projection, means for forcing the projection through the bottom of the box and releasing said alarm when the box is lifted, a lever for locking said projection in retracted position, whereby the alarm will not be released when the box is lifted, and means operable from the interior of the upper compartment of said box to prevent said lever from being engaged .with said projection.

2. In a device of the characterdescribed, a box divided into an upper and a lower compartment, an alarm in the lower compartment, a projection, means for forcing the projection. through the bottom of the box and releasing said alarm when the .box is lifted, a spring arm for automatically engaging said projection and locking it against movement when the alarm is released, and means for disengaging said locking means operable from the interior of the upper compartment. j

3, In a device of the character described, a box divided into an upper and a lower compartment, an alarm in the lower compartment, means for holding the alarm in inaction, a projection, means for forcing the projection through the bottom of the box and releasing said alarm when the box is lifted, a lever for engaging a notch in the projection and holding said projection within the box, whereby the alarm will not be released when the box is lifted, means for preventing the engagement of said lever with said notch operable from the interior of the upper compartment, means for automatically locking the projection against movement when the alarm is sounded, and means for disengaging said locking means operable from the interior of the upper compartment.

4. In a device of the character described, an alarm mechanism, a box in which said mechanism is located, a spring having a projection rigidly attached thereto adapted to pass through the bottom of the box, means for holding said projection within the box against the tension of the spring, and a finger carried by said spring to maintain the alarm in inaction when the projection is pressed inwardly. Y I

5. In a device of the character described, a box, an alarm mechanism within the box, a spring having a projection rigidly attached thereto adapted to pass through an opening in the bottom of the box, means for holding said projection within the box against the tension of the spring, a finger carried by said spring for maintaining the alarm in inaction when the projection is pressed inwardly, and a spring-arm for automatically locking the projection against movement when it is forced outwardly.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ADOLPII LO FARO Witnesses:

WV. W. IIOLT, JOHN P. DAVIS. 

